


Three in the Morning

by Victorious56



Series: Numerically Speaking [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Clover is surprisingly patient, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Qrow is a cheeky birb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:33:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25807429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorious56/pseuds/Victorious56
Summary: When Qrow can't get back to sleep, he hatches a plan. It doesn't quite work.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Numerically Speaking [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870408
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57





	Three in the Morning

Qrow had tried everything he could think of.

He'd done the A to Z thing. Okay, maybe he'd cheated on some of the letters, but how many animals or Grimm were there with names starting with X? Or Q, for that matter.

He'd tried counting backwards from 1,000. That usually worked, but this time he'd got to 767 and lost interest.

He'd tried the slow breathing thing. That always worked for Clover, apparently. Sadly, it hadn't worked for him.

He opened one eye and squinted at the time. Three o'clock. No time to be awake.

Qrow rose from his bed and opened the bedroom window. In a moment, he had assumed his crow form, and was skimming above the barracks buildings in the cold air.

_Dammit, this is making me feel even more awake. Not quite such a good plan..._

He circled several times, and decided to stop by Clover's room. Not to wake him up, but to peek through the gap he always left in his curtains, and see him asleep. _Maybe that will put me in a more sleepy mood._

Although Qrow's brain was alert, his crow body was not. He misjudged the depth of the windowsill, and smacked his beak into the glass with a sharp _crack_.

_Double dammit._

He stayed still, hoping the sleeping man inside was unaware of the noise. However, misfortune beat good fortune this time, and Qrow saw the room become bathed in a soft glow as the bedside lamp was turned on.

Off course, he could just fly off. Or he could wait for Clover to come to the window, and enjoy the sight of his sleepy face and his tousled hair.

Qrow waited on the windowsill.

Clover drew the curtain to one side, taking a small step back as he saw the crow looking up at him. He rubbed his eyes, opening the window carefully.

"I guess you'd better come in."

The bird hopped across the sill and fluttered onto the bed. Clover closed the window and turned round.

"That's my bed." His brain was still mostly asleep.

"You don't say, Captain Obvious." Qrow was perched on the bed, his smile far too self-satisfied for Clover's liking.

"Qrow, why are you here?" Clover narrowed his eyes, regarding the older man suspiciously. "Do you make a habit of watching me sleep?"

"Not a habit, no." Qrow stretched his arms above his head. "I was awake, and couldn't get back to sleep, so I thought a quick flight might help."

"And has it?" Clover enjoyed the mildly flirty exchanges he'd been having with Qrow lately, but three in the morning really wasn't the time.

"I am feeling a bit sleepier, but I've just thought of a problem."

"Oh?" Clover was wondering when he'd get his bed back.

"If I fly back, it'll wake me up again." Qrow frowned. "I didn't think this through, did I?"

"No," Clover yawned. He scratched his head, making his hair even more untidy.

Qrow tried not to notice.

Clover squinted at him. "I have an idea, but you may not like it."

"Try me. I really am feeling quite dozy now."

"Quick question— can you sleep all night as a bird, and that's as good as sleeping as a human?"

"Yeah, that's how it works."

"Well then, how about we make a nest for you here—" he broke off at Qrow's surprised look. "Not _here_ here, in the living room," he elaborated.

Qrow didn't know if he was relieved or disappointed.

"Uh, if you're sure you don't mind. I feel like I'm imposing on you a bit."

"You are, Qrow, but don't fret yourself. I'll think of a way you can pay me back."

Qrow was sure he saw the ghost of a wink accompanying Clover's comment.

"Hmm, right. Well, I can take whatever you've got for me, don't you worry." Qrow added a fleeting wink of his own.

Clover stared at him for a long moment. "Let me find a blanket."

He rummaged in a cupboard, pulling out a large, serviceable blanket. Qrow took it from him, running his hands over the material.

"It's a little rough. Do you have something softer to line it with? A t-shirt, maybe?" Qrow's enquiring face was the picture of innocence.

Clover's forehead wrinkled. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, here, you feel it. You wouldn't want that rubbing against your bare skin."

"But surely your feathers— oh, whatever. A t-shirt, you reckon."

He pulled open a drawer in the dresser, and extracted a grey t-shirt. "This good enough?"

Qrow wondered why Clover's voice sounded so sarcastic.

"That's great. Let me just set it up, and I'll be good to go. Or rather, good to not go."

He picked up the blanket and the t-shirt. "Seriously, thank you, Clover." Qrow smiled at the sleepy man, and took his bedding materials into the living room. "Is on the sofa okay?"

"Anywhere is fine." _Maybe I'll wake up in the morning and find this was all a dream._ He followed Qrow from the bedroom, and watched as he made a hollow in the folds of the blanket, lining it carefully with the t-shirt.

Qrow stood back and admired his nest. "Perfect." He turned round. "'Night then. See you in the morning." And with a huge yawn, he was gone.

The large black bird fluttered up onto the nest. It shuffled down, rearranging the t-shirt with its sharp beak.

Clover wondered how wearable the t-shirt would be after this.

The crow contemplated Clover with its red eyes. Then it fluffed up its feathers and turned its head, the beak resting across its shoulder.

Clover stood there a moment longer, before giving a small shake of his head. He returned to bed, and was soon asleep.

  


When Clover woke in the morning, the memory of the dream he'd had was still with him. So what if he'd dreamt about Qrow staying the night, as a human instead of a bird?

Dreams didn't necessarily mean anything, did they?

**Author's Note:**

> Friendly comments always appreciated, thank you.


End file.
